Autumn Falling
by Tala Mitena
Summary: When Sora happens upon a mysterious stranger in an untouched field of snow, he is lead into a world of wonder and amazement, of mystery and magic, and of heartbreaks and goodbyes.
1. Prologue: Curtain Up

Author's Note: So here it is! A lovely little holiday fic for you all. This one's a little different from most of what I write, I think. Also, it's more of a "yay winter!" fic than a holiday fic. Anyway, like last year's "Reindeer Games" I decided to base this one on an unlikely holiday song - this year's winner was "Frosty the Snowman". This will be updated on the 1st and 15th of every month from now until...whenever it ends. It should take a few months; there's about ten chapters I believe. (Also I promise to work on other things as soon as possible, especially Heart Br0ken's gift fic "To the Snow".) Anyway, I hope you enjoy this!! I know I will...wink wink.

* * *

Autumn Falling

_Prologue_

_"Curtain Up"_

* * *

Sora shivered as he stepped over the threshold of his apartment. The air inside seemed barely warmer than the December wind that whipped outside the windows. The decor wasn't much better; bare wooden floors, sterile white walls, no sign of personalization anywhere. Sighing, he curled his arms about his middle, huddling with himself for warmth, and turned towards the kitchenette to glance at the thermostat. Sixty-nine degrees. He frowned to himself as another shiver wracked his body, teeth chattering as he muttered a curse.

Another breath of wind rattled his windows, and the thin white curtains hanging on the sliding glass door to his balcony billowed with the force of it, floating upwards almost violently before settling like snow as the gust died. Sora furrowed his brows, lower lip drawn inwards to be chewed on nervously. He didn't remember leaving the balcony door open. In fact, he distinctly remembered checking to make sure he hadn't. And anyway, it was the middle of winter! The damn thing hadn't been opened in at least five months. He crossed the room quickly to shut the door, not bothering to scan the layer of snow that had accumulated there throughout the day.

It was dark out now, and Sora briefly considered turning on a light. It didn't feel right, considering it was barely 5-o'-clock, so he decided against it and left himself in the dimmed, lonely rooms. Now that the wind was no longer leaking into the apartment, it was warmer and a bit cozy. His stomach rumbled softly and, throwing off his coat and scarf, Sora walked into the kitchen to find something to eat. He found nothing in the cabinets, and the fridge was just as empty.

Snorting to himself, he stomped back into the living room, pulled on his jacket and stormed out the door. It slammed behind him and he didn't think twice about turning around to lock it, instead he just walked heavily down the stairs, thumping angrily on each step down from the third floor.

The city streets were deserted, and so it was easy to hail a cab. He slid into the back seat with a grunt and slammed the door shut behind him.

"Easy there, kiddo!" The cabby cried, his rough voice slurred by the thick, unlit cigar hanging out of his mouth. Sora merely flicked his gaze upwards to glare at the man's reflection in the rear-view mirror. "Where to?"

Sora quailed. He hadn't thought of that; he hadn't thought of anything beyond getting out of the apartment. All he knew was that he didn't want to be _here_, in this god-forsaken, cold, impersonal city.

"The suburbs," he answered quickly.

"Which one?" the man asked with a short, derisive laugh.

"Whichever. The first one we hit once we get out of the city. I don't care."

Shrugging, the cabby pulled away from the curb and tangled himself and his passenger in the urban traffic. Immediately, Sora thought to change his mind. Maybe going to the suburbs in this kind of mood wasn't the best idea. Then again, with the way the gruff cabby was swearing and yelling at the other cars on the road, interrupting him to get out seemed like an even less favorable option.

* * *

Sora had been walking through the empty, unplowed streets of the strange town for almost an hour when he happened upon the large field at the end of a scarce neighborhood. It caught his eye easily. The moonlight reflected off the untouched blanket of snow covering it, creating a great glare that Sora could not look at directly, or even from the corner of his eye. But it was when a cloud passed over the moon, making the field more bearable to view, that it really caught his interest. There was something in the middle of it...someone, rather.

They stood there, completely still, for a long while as Sora watched them curiously. When this proved to be uninteresting, he turned his attention to the field around this person, noting in bewilderment that there was not a single footprint in the snow. Without thinking, Sora walked towards the shadowy figure.

Upon getting closer, he realized that the figure was male, tall and slimly built, though nowhere near lanky or stick-like. Sora slowed his steps as he came upon the stranger, snow crunching underfoot, yet failing to draw the man's attention. He stood just as still as ever, back facing Sora, long silvery hair draped across one shoulder. Every now and then a few strands would slip away from the rest and slide down the man's broad back.

When Sora was about arm's length from him, he decided to speak up and cleared his throat

in preparation. At the soft sound the other man began turning slowly. He merely blinked at Sora, eyes wide with curiosity and his head tilted to one side. And his eyes were breathtaking. They shone almost innocently at Sora, whose own eyes widened in response as he took a tentative step backwards. They were the most brilliant shade of sea green, and Sora suddenly found himself longing for the soft, warm sands and snowless winters of his hometown on the islands to the south.

"What are you?" the man asked, and though his voice was a low, soothing baritone, the intonation of his question rang childishly through the cold, stagnant air. Sora was unable to respond; he was still awed by this stranger, whose skin was so pale and fragile looking, and whose fine features were set in an expression of pure wonder. If he were about twenty years younger, Sora would have been more than willing to believe that this man before him has simply sprung out of the snow and started being. It certainly explained his missing footsteps, and his peculiar behavior...

"What are you?" the question was reiterated, though with a taste of impatience, and Sora snapped back to attention.

"Sora," he answered hesitantly, wondering if giving his name would answer a question as to 'what' he was.

"Sora," the man repeated delicately, soft, barely pink lips moving carefully around perfect, bright white teeth. "Sora is your name?"

"Uh...yeah. What's yours?"

"Mine?" he looked absolutely shocked at this question, his head drawing back slightly as his eyes narrowed in bewilderment. It was as if he were taken aback by the notion that he too had a name. After a moment his expression became very distant and detached, and he answered with a whisper. "I think...my name is Riku. I think. I can remember someone calling me that once..."

"How long have you been here?" Sora asked abruptly, his voice cracking with worry. Had he happened across some amnesiac hobo or something? He wasn't prepared to deal with this, no matter how gorgeous and intriguing said hobo was.

"My whole life. At least, as long as I can remember..."

"No, not this town, I meant..." shaking his head, Sora gave up. He wasn't really in the mood to explain that he'd wanted to know how long Riku has been in the field, not the town. The information wasn't necessary, so he could do without the headache. "Never mind," he continued, "I...uh, I uh should be getting home now."

"Where is home?" Riku asked, still as juvenile and curious as ever.

"The city," Sora called over his shoulder as he forced himself to walk back to the road and fished through his pocket for his cell phone. "'Night."

"Yes," Riku returned almost skeptically, "it is."

Frowning, Sora shuffled through his recent calls and rang up the taxi company that had brought him here. He wanted to go home, back to the warmth.

* * *

The balcony door was open again. He froze as he walked into the apartment to find the curtains fluttering wildly. There was a shadow behind them...someone was on his balcony.

Swallowing hard, Sora started walking forward slowly, holding a hand out in front of him as if this would prevent him from colliding with some unseen enemy. It seemed an eternity before his gloved fingers caught the light fabric and stilled its flailing. The shadow beyond grew almost imperceptibly in size. Whoever was out there had stepped closer now.

Sora squeezed his eyes shut and threw the curtain aside. When no one grabbed at him or gasped in surprise, once silence hovered in the cold night air for several long moments, he ventured a peek.

The man from the field, Riku, with his pale skin and pale hair and dancing, burning turquoise eyes, was standing before him once more, calm and smiling in the snow.

"What the _hell_ are _you_ doing here?!" Sora cried, voice squeaking as he stumbled backwards.

Riku's expression fell instantly. He seemed terrified, and disappointed. Had he possibly thought that Sora would _welcome _him? They had barely even met!

"I...I followed you home," he explained weakly.

"Why?" It was Sora's turn to be terrified, now. Riku was stalking him, it seemed.

The other man's eyes glistened with what may have been tears and he stepped further away from Sora, turning his head so that the brunette would not see his face.

"I...had to hide."


	2. Your Words Were Goodbye

Author's Note: Ack! This took me much longer than I'd hoped it would, and I'm not quite sure I like this chapter, so it might be replaced later on. Or not...I don't quite know. Anyway, Happy Holidays and especially a Merry Christmas (since it's right now!). Hope you enjoy this chapter!

* * *

Autumn Falling 

_Chapter One_

_"Your Words Were Goodbye"  
_

* * *

"You're...hiding?" Sora repeated skeptically. When Riku nodded, firmly but shyly, the brunette let out a quick, sardonic laugh and shook his head in disbelief. "You're hiding," he said again, still laughing. "Well, that makes _perfect_ sense."

"Yes," Riku agreed immediately, smiling almost gratefully and seeming pleased with the fact that Sora understood. Meanwhile, Sora scoffed and rolled his eyes, wondering just what in the world was wrong with this strange man.

"Exactly what are you hiding from, then?" he asked, raising an eyebrow and crossing his arms over his chest. His tone must have caught the other man off guard, for he blinked as his eyes widened and he stepped backwards in confusion. When he answered Sora's question, Riku seemed almost ashamed.

"I don't know who they are," he muttered, "what their names are, I mean. But I know that they want me back and I saw them when you left the field."

"I didn't see anyone then." Come to think of it, he hadn't seen anyone in the town at all.

"You wouldn't have; they didn't want you to see them."

Sighing, Sora shook his head and once more turned to the thought that Riku was absolutely insane. After all, Sora had found him, clothed only in what looked like white scrubs and nurse's shoes, standing in the middle of a field of snow, and now here he was in the same state standing on the balcony, talking about people who wanted him back. He was hiding from them because of this, and apparently Sora could not see them, simply because they did not want him to.

Wait...

Sora had found him in the field, then left and come straight home. Riku had still been in the field when Sora's taxi pulled away. He'd taken a car home, and yet, somehow, this stranger had beaten him here with enough time to get to the balcony...

But the front door had still been locked when he'd arrived. Riku hadn't broken in, it seemed. Leaning forward, Sora peered around the other, looking to see whether the fire escape had been used. The ladders were still compact, their rungs covered with snow. Had he gone up to the roof and hopped down, then? It wasn't a long fall at all, considering that Sora was on the top floor. There was no sign of that being so, and in any case that still didn't explain how Riku had gotten to the apartment in the first place.

"How did you get here?" Sora asked, his voice low and cracking nervously.

"I followed you." Riku's answer was immediate and delivered simply, as if he saw no reason for Sora to reject this explanation.

"Yes, I know, but..._how_?"

Blinking, Riku made a soft 'oh' sound as his expression settled. It was as if he had come to some realization. His lips pursed and he cocked his head to one side, his long sliver hair slipping over his shoulder. He seemed to be contemplating something for the next few moments before he spoke again.

"I just did," he stated. Nothing more.

"Right," Sora snorted, dazed. His head swam when he thought to attempt to pick out some meaning from the stranger's words and appearance. "Well, are you safe now? Can you go home?" He asked, now wanting only to be rid of the other man.

"No."

"What?" he couldn't help but ask. The answer had been so decisive and immediate, and unexpected. Sora had been sure that Riku would take the hint and be on his way.

"No. I'm not safe. I can't go home. I have to stay here for a while."

"You_have_ to?" Sora was beginning to really get annoyed. The nerve of this guy...

"I have to. I can't go back there."

The brunette sighed and ran a hand through his hair. For a split second he felt as if he were on the verge of tears. What in the world was going on here? Who was this Riku, and why in the world did _he_ have to be caught up in whatever mess it was the crazy kid was dragging along behind him?

"Please."

The earnestness of the word stunned Sora, and he lifted his face up to look into Riku's beautiful eyes. They were soft, and moist, and Sora thought that maybe – just maybe – the man really did have something to worry about. Maybe he really was scared, and really did need someone to just reach out and offer him some shelter for a little bit. Whose right was it to judge this so quickly?

"Okay," Sora answered, "you can stay. Come on in, it's freezing out here."

Riku nodded thankfully as the smaller man moved aside to allow him through the sliding glass door. The boy nearly gasped aloud as he moved, for underneath the silver-haired one's feet, the snow remained as untouched as ever. His footsteps made no sound as they touched down, and left not even the slightest imprint. Not a single snowflake was displaced.

Once Riku was in the apartment, he turned and smiled at Sora, waiting patiently for him to follow. The latter did so reluctantly, looking back over his shoulder at the print-less snow several times during the process.

"You can sleep on the couch, I guess," Sora offered absently as he closed the door behind him and crossed the living room. There was a linen closet by the short hall that lead to his bedroom, and he took out a spare pillow and some blankets, handing them to his curious new house guest as he yawned. "I'm going to bed now, if you'll be alright on your own."

"I'm fine," Riku answered, placing the bundle of bed linens on the couch, appearing to be completely disinterested. "But, um...is there any way you could adjust the temperature? It's a bit..."

"Sure, no problem," Sora interrupted. The balcony door had been open for some time now, so it was only natural that it would be chilly in the apartment. "Goodnight," he called over his shoulder, readjusting the thermostat so that it was set to rise to 71 degrees rather than his usual preference of 69. He'd have to remember to change the program once Riku left.

A small pout puckered Sora's lips as he entered the living room the next morning. The blankets he'd given Riku last night were still sitting, neatly folded, on the couch. Riku himself was nowhere in sight. He wasn't on the couch, obviously; he wasn't on the floor, or in the hall. He wasn't in the bathroom, or the kitchen, and he most definitely had not been in Sora's bedroom.

Furrowing his brows and pouting, Sora scanned the area once more, just to make sure he hadn't missed something. It was in vain, of course, but Sora justified the look by telling himself that there really was not much else he could do. Had Riku left, then? Had he just gotten up in the middle of the night and returned to...where-ever...the field?

A small tap sounded from the balcony, like fingers on glass, and Sora instantly realized where Riku was. For it was just that, fingers on glass, that had made the sound, and as Sora turned around to face the sliding glass door, he found the curtains pushed back to reveal a smiling, waving Riku. What in the world was he doing on the balcony?

Crossing the room, Sora sighed and opened the door. "Riku?" he asked as the man continued to smile down at him. Sora hadn't realized that the other man was a fair amount taller than him.

"Good morning, Sora," Riku crooned, his fingers trilling in a quick little wave.

"Yeah...uh...what are you doing out here?"

"Don't know," he shrugged, "I just got a little warm last night, so I came out here."

The brunette's eyes widened. "Did you...you didn't _sleep_ out here, did you?"

"I did."

"But it's _freezing_ out here, Riku. You could have died!"

"I could have died in there too..." the other man murmured, seeming a bit confused by Sora's concern.

"Well...yeah, I guess," Sora sighed, "if there was some sort of freak accident or something, but you _really_ could have died out here."

Riku's eyes glazed over for a moment, his thoughts clearly turned inward. He blinked slowly during that time, and Sora watched him carefully. He seemed worried about something, and a little bewildered. The brunette frowned. This man was getting stranger and stranger with every moment that Sora spent with him.

After a long while of waiting for Riku to say something, or snap out of his little daze in any way whatsoever, Sora sighed and folded. "You can come in now, you know," he muttered, feeling a little ridiculous explaining this to someone who was, by all appearances, older than himself.

"Yes, but...would you mind if while I'm staying with you, I continue to sleep out here. It's just...it gets very warm in there."

"Suit yourself," Sora mumbled, shaking his head as he decided to give up on trying to understand the other man. Apparently that wasn't going to happen any time soon.

In the meantime, his stomach reminded him with a low growl, he was very hungry and something had to be done about it. He made his way to the kitchen with heavy steps, motioning over his shoulder for Riku to follow him. It was only when his foots landed in front of the fridge that he recalled his search of the cupboards and shelves the night before, which hadn't turned out well.

Muttering a curse under his breath, he turned around to sigh at Riku. "I...," he paused, not sure of exactly what he wanted to say. He had to go grocery shopping, that much was obvious, but he wasn't sure what to do with his temporary room mate. Doing such a thing together seemed a little too...intimate?...considering that they had only just met a handful of hours ago. But neither was Sora about to leave this strange man who was _'hiding'_ in his house alone here.

He was beginning to really regret having allowed him to stay.

"We have to go run some errands," he stated decisively, watching Riku carefully as he spoke. The man's actions and mannerisms seemed very odd at the moment, and Sora frowned. Riku was pacing, ever so slightly, his face twisted in worry as a small bead of moisture rolled down his smooth, pale cheek. At the feel of it, his expression widened instantly, his eyes terrified and his mouth set in a thin line. His hand lifted quickly to wipe the small dew-drop away and he stared at the spot on his fingertip that had come in contact with it.

For a long while, he did nothing, though Sora thought he could see a nervous tremble course over his frame at one point.

"Riku..." he called softly, now seriously concerned about the sanity of the man he had taken into his house. And why? Because he had said _'please'_. Sora could have kicked himself. "We have to...leave...you know, go...buy food..."

Shaking his head quickly, to bring himself back to the present, Riku blinked at Sora and then nodded. "Right," he murmured, smiling finally, and gratefully. He followed Sora anxiously out the door, down the hall, and down the stairs. The brunette listened carefully to the sound of his falling footsteps. It was so soft he had to strain to hear them, and then it was just a small, barely audible crunch, which was puzzling. There was no reason a footstep should make a crunching noise.

As they continued, though, the silver-haired stranger's steps began to fall more heavily, and frequently. Sora could hear Riku pacing in a small circle behind him whenever he slowed his pace. He listened more carefully now, and the sound of their falling became less of a crunch and more of a...well, almost a _squish_. By the time they reached the door to the city, Sora could no longer quell his curiosity.

He opened the door as he turned to furrow his brows at Riku, and a small gust of wind took his attention away from the other man. Beyond the doorway, out in the quiet streets of the city, it was snowing, almost blizzarding. Sora pouted; it hadn't been snowing at all only moments ago when he was out on the balcony, and the weather report he'd watched the other day had predicted a completely clear week. He shrugged. The meteorologists couldn't get it right all the time, and it wasn't _that_ unusual for snow to start up so suddenly.

Opening his mouth, he returned his attention to Riku, on the verge of asking if he were okay. The question froze, teetering on the tip of Sora's tongue.

Riku was gone.

"What the..." Sora muttered. He glanced out the door, but found no sign of the man on the city streets, and so retraced his steps back to his apartment. The door was locked when he got there, and the rooms empty. For once, the balcony door was even closed. "Shit."

Reaching into his pocket, Sora found his cell phone and dialed, pacing and cursing to himself as he waited through several rings.

"Hey Sora," the answer finally came.

"Kairi," the brunette sighed, "I need your help." When he finished the sentence, he mentally added that he probably needed help from someone a bit more professional than his best friend.

"What's going on?" Kairi's voice was thin and worried now. Sora could almost see her sitting at her kitchen table, straightening her posture and leaning forward at his tone.

"I...I have no idea. I'm going insane, I think."

"Sora, just tell me what happened and I'll be the judge of that."

"There's...this guy...staying with me. I let him stay, and I have no idea why because I think he might be an escapee from the institution, and-"

"Woah, slow down. Start from the beginning. Who is this guy that's staying with you?"

Sora took a deep breath, then launched into a rushed explanation of how he'd met Riku, and how the man whose sanity was questionable had ended up staying at his apartment.

"I doubt it's as bad as you think it is, Sora," Kairi chided softly. "I mean, it really sounds like this Riku guy was terrified of whoever these people are that want him back. Like you said, maybe he really did just need someplace to stay for a bit. I'll admit he does sound kind of...odd...but if you'd like I can check up on you guys over the next few days to make sure everything's going okay."

The brunette shook his head, "Thanks, Kai, but I think I'll be fine...it's just...I kind of...lost him."

On the other end of the call, there was nothing but silence for a long while.

"You..._lost_ him?" the girl asked tentatively.

"I had to go grocery shopping, and I didn't want him here alone, so I was gonna take him with me but when I got outside he was just...gone."

"You're not making any sense."

"I realize that. But it's just what happened. If I could make sense of it all, believe me, I would."

Kairi replied with a small, affirmative hum. "Alright, well, I'll be over in a bit to help you look for him, or wait for him; whichever you think is best. Sound good?"

"Yeah. Thanks, Kai."

The girl was very quiet for a bit, and when she did finally speak, her voice sounded strained, and almost cracked at one point.

"No problem."


	3. If I Knocked on Your Door

Author's Note: I can't do schedules...apparently. They're too constricting. So, I'll update this as often as possible. Hopefully it'll be done by May...Enjoy?

* * *

Autumn Falling

_Chapter Two:_

"If I Knocked On Your Door"

* * *

Sora cursed the snow that was falling from the sky as he and Kairi began their search. On top of everything, snow was the last thing he needed right now. Sighing, he pulled his arms in towards his chest, shivered, and looked over at Kairi. The girl raised one eyebrow at him, an effective manner of telling him to get on with it and start searching for the lost man.

"So tell me," she said after a few moments of aimless wandering, "where exactly do you plan on looking for this guy?"

Sora shrugged. "I didn't plan on anything, really. Just...walking, I guess."

"It's a _huge_ city, Sora. It'd help if you had some idea of where he might go."

"I don't know him at all, Kairi. There's no way I could have that information after, what? Half a day?"

"Maybe if you expressed more interest in him..."

At that, the brunette stopped dead and whirled around to glare at Kairi incredulously. "Expressed _interest_ in him? In someone who followed me home from the suburbs after we exchanged a handful of words? Someone who broke into my house and then asked to stay there because there were people following him?"

"Sora, don't -"

"Don't_what_, Kai? Who in their right mind would do the kind of shit he's done in the past day and a half?"

The red-head's eyes narrowed and she stood on tiptoes to be able to look her friend right in the eyes, and perhaps in an attempt to intimidate him. "Who in their right mind would let someone like that spend a few nights with them?" She asked venomously as she jabbed him in the sternum with her finger.

Sora's defiance melted away and he took a step backwards, rubbing at his sore chest. "Point taken," he muttered in defeat as the two of them continued on their way.

"You could at least tell me what he looks like, you know," the girl went on, "since I am helping you look for him and all."

Her friend remained silent, pouting to himself. He didn't really want to get into Riku's looks. He'd just been insulting the man, and if he started describing him...

Sora sighed. It had to be admitted that Riku was incredibly attractive. He did not want to reveal that just after talking about how insane the man was, though. Kairi would definitely disregard any previous mention of the guy and start trying to convince Sora to date him.

"You know, we could have passed him while you were spacing out just now, and we'd never know because you're refusing to tell me what he looks like."

Sighing, Sora gave in, knowing Kairi had a perfectly legitimate point, and deciding to rush his description as much as possible.

"Fine," he muttered, "Silver hair, turquoise eyes. He's tall; taller than me at least. And he's probably still wearing those white...scrubs, or whatever they were."

Kairi nodded, then waited a moment or two before asking, "Is he attractive?"

"Kai! What kind of a question is that?"

"It helps, I promise!"

The red-head's reply was met with a scorching glare.

"Alright, so it doesn't help," she conceded. "I'm just curious, okay?"

Sora scoffed, a small almost smug smile wandering across his lips. This was clearly not the reaction Kairi had been wanting. Perhaps she had hoped that her honesty would earn her an answer. She made her disappointment clear with a stamp of her foot and a stubborn refusal to go any further.

"Come _on_, Sora. Why are you so set against telling me?" she whined.

Why are you so set on finding out? You just said it doesn't matter."

"Well maybe it _does_, Sora!"

"How? Give me on example of how this could matter so much. One good example."

"Alright," Kairi said, biting her lower lip for a moment, then releasing it to look up at her friend accusingly. "Because as crazy as this all seems, this situation could actually be good for you."

Sora's expression of defiance melted immediately, replaced by one of confusion and – maybe – guilt. Slowly, he shook his head, running a hand over the back of his neck and expressing disbelief in the form of a quiet and unsure, 'no'.

"God_damnit_, Sora!" the girl snapped, hanging her head so that her hair covered her amethyst eyes. "_I've_ moved on. Why can't you?"

He didn't know how to respond. Why hadn't he moved on? He had been the one who'd broken _her_ heart, so many years ago, and yet it was him who was letting it hold him back. It didn't make any sense, he knew. He'd known the whole time, but he still couldn't step forward. It didn't make sense, and neither did anything else in his life right now.

"He...he's attractive, all right?" he murmured sullenly. "He's...gorgeous. Probably the most beautiful person I've ever met."

Kairi nodded and smiled a small, satisfied smile. "Okay," she whispered back, "good to know. Thank you."

As she continued forwards, the sincerity with which she'd said those last words echoed in the space between where she'd been and where Sora still was.

* * *

It stopped snowing at just about the same time as Sora was stepping through the door to his apartment building. The air inside was welcoming in warmth, but distinctly and unnaturally dry, which threatened to chap his lips. He was tired, had not found Riku, and was still frustrated with Kairi's attempts to convince him to ask Riku for a date. Which, really, no longer mattered, as Sora was certain he would never see the mysterious stranger again. Surely he was lost to the many unknown city corridors.

And so it was with a mixture of relief and disappointment that Sora came to his door. The cold air that whispered out from the crack between door and ground before slithering up Sora's pant leg was an instant revelation of where Riku now was; perhaps had been for some time. The brunette could not stop himself from cursing loudly as he entered the apartment to find exactly what the draft had caused him to expect.

Once again, Riku was sitting, smiling, on the balcony with the sliding glass door opened wide.

"What the hell?" Sora shouted, stomping towards the other man. "Where have you been? How long have you been _here_?"

Shrugging, Riku refused to let his smile falter. "I just got back," he answered simply.

Sora quailed at the straightforwardness of the reply. Did this guy not understand what was going on? Did he not get that Sora had been worried about him?

The question froze Sora once again. He'd felt responsible for whatever might have happened to Riku, and that was why he'd decided to go looking for him, rather than sit around and be glad the psycho was off his hands. But since when had he actually been _worried_ about Riku? Genuinely worried about _Riku, _rather than just worried about what the consequences for himself would be if Riku wasn't found? Shaking his head, Sora continued interrogating the man and dismissed those disconcerting thoughts.

"From where?" he demanded, reaching out to usher Riku back into the apartment. The silver-haired stranger recoiled, rather violently, his eyes snapping wide open as he stumbled backwards. Still no footprints, Sora noted.

"I can't go back in there," Riku explained, his voice wavering fearfully. "I can't. It's too warm; that's why I had to leave."

Sora's face scrunched into a confused pout. "Where did you go?" he asked tentatively.

Riku hesitated, his still wide eyes flickering across his surroundings as if searching for the answer. "Out," he stated, "I was too warm, so I went out; wandered."

"I didn't see you leave," the brunette returned speculatively. This Riku fellow was more suspicious than he'd thought.

"I left through a window," the reply was immediate – unthinking even – and so Sora could not help but view it as the truth. Which did not succeed in stopping him from repeating the last three words nonetheless. Riku merely nodded, smiling as always.

Sora found absolutely no will to respond; and, for that matter, could think of nothing with which to respond. He was plain and simply simply dumbfounded. There was nothing more for him to do.

"Okay," he murmured absentmindedly, blinking up at Riku for a moment before turning to re-enter the apartment.

Just as Sora was reaching the mouth of the hallway leading to his room, a cautious tap played against the glass of the balcony door. Briefly, he considered continuing on his way and ignoring Riku, but something nudged at his conscious. So with another sigh, he turned on his heel, dragging his feet across the floor, and flung open the sliding door.

"What?" he snapped, causing Riku to blink in bewilderment and take a step backwards.

As Sora stared expectantly at the other man, he watched turquoise eyes dull with sorrow as they began to move nervously across the ground, back and forth. A long, pale hand pushed silver hair behind a perfect shell of an ear, as pearl teeth bit hard into the soft flesh of lower lip. The silence was loaded, and Sora was beginning to suspect it to fire off like a shot at any moment.

"You...really don't remember me?"

The brunette's breath came barreling out of his lungs in an airy, scratching cough. For a while he struggled to grab it back, but all he could manage was a few, tiny gulps that fled as soon as they hit lung. He was sure he looked like a fish, his mouth popping open and closed.

"Wha-what?" he stuttered, finally, almost laughing at himself. The worry and fear that had sprung up behind Riku's words was simply absurd. There was no possible way that he could have forgotten the strange man, because he had never known him before. Riku was just – exactly as Sora had suspected – insane.

"You don't. I didn't think you would. I barely even remember you...but...what I do..." Riku's voice faded on the wind, just as soft, fond, and temporary as that winter breeze.

Sora could not bring himself to respond. All he knew was that he was going to turn around, go inside, and call the police. Riku was insane. It was that simple. He was insane and he was stalking Sora, and he needed professional help.

"She doesn't remember me either, does she?"

Again, Sora froze, his breath, this time, caught in his lungs so that they were fit to burst.

"Who doesn't?" he asked, a shiver of fear racing up his spine as his voice wavered.

"Kairi."

Sora did not hesitate to leave and beeline straight for the phone. There was absolutely _no_ way Riku could know about Kairi. The brunette had to call the police, and then her. Or maybe the other way around? Should he want her and then call the authorities? Or visa versa?

He never had to decide, because his phone range just as he reached for it. Kairi had beaten him to the punch.


	4. The Girl You Once Knew

Author's Note: I really, really want to get this done by the end of May, so here's another update! This one's mostly dialogue, and a lot of weird information that may seem out of place, but will be explained in much more detail in later chapters. Enjoy!!

* * *

Autumn Falling

_Chapter Three:_

"The Girl You Once Knew"

* * *

Kairi was confused by their standing at her door. Sure, Leon and Cloud were regulars at the diner where she waitressed part-time, and they were always friendly and tipped her well, but coming home to these virtual strangers waiting for her was an entirely different experience. Not to mention unnerving.

"Can I help you guys?" she asked as she finished her trek down the hallway, purposefully making her skepticism perfectly clear.

"Yes, Kairi, you can," Leon answered, stepping forward to block her door.

"What's up?" she asked coldly, narrowing her eyes and preparing to reach into her purse for her pepper spray.

"We have a bit of a situation we need you to shed some light on," Cloud said, his voice much less gruff and demanding than his partner's had been. "Do you mind if we come in to chat?"

Kairi's reply was immediate. "Yes, I mind. What do you need to know?" Her fingers were now hidden in her handbag, clutching the bottle of spray.

The brunette growled softly, rolling his eyes when the blonde responded with a warning glare. Despite Cloud's obvious disapproval, Leon reached into his pants pocket, and pulled out a key. Without hesitation he slid it into her keyhole, and turned it. When he pushed lightly on the door, it swung open. Kairi felt all the blood flee from her face and her knees wobbled as she let out a small, shivering whimper of fear. What in the _hell_ was going on?

Inside her purse, she dropped pepper spray and wiggled her fingers towards her cell phone. The man sensed this movement, and as soon as Kairi had punched in the number nine, he'd grabbed hold of her arm, snatched her purse, and turned off her phone. Cloud did not seem to mind his partner's behavior anymore.

Though Leon had been rough when he'd taken her phone, once that was out of the way he loosened his grip and led her gently into her own apartment. She knew she was still ghost pale, and her frame still wavered when she walked. Without thinking – and without any direction from Cloud and Leon – she beelined for the couch, plopping on to it with a blank mind and a blank face. She could not bring herself to think about the situation, or how to handle it. The blonde disappeared into her kitchen, and the brunette watched her with steely, unrelenting eyes. Kairi pulled in several very slow, very deep breaths as Cloud called to her.

"We'll give you a moment to gather yourself. I'd imagine our barging in like this to be at least a bit unsettling."

She refrained from nodding in agreement, as she was sure the action would warrant some sort of unsavory reaction from Leon. Instead she listened carefully to the blonde's movements in the kitchen – her kitchen. It soon became apparent that he was boiling water for tea and, from the lack of clattering and rifling, that he knew exactly where everything in her kitchen was. Unsettling to say the least.

"Here's the thing," Leon began as his partner finally emerged with a cup of Kairi's favorite tea, in her favorite mug. She reached for it immediately, and took a large sip. Maybe once it had calmed her down she'd be able to figure out what to do about all this. But the beverage only served as another dose of disquiet. It had been prepared exactly as she liked it, with both lemon and honey. Setting the mug down, she sighed and leaned forward to cradle her head in her hands. There was a cordless phone on an end table in the hallway. If she could somehow get away to the bathroom...

"He's escaped again," Cloud said, continuing Leon's explanation, "and we need you to help us find him."

"I think I'm gonna be sick," Kairi whispered.

"Where is he?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Cut the crap, Kairi," Leon grumbled. "We know he's with either you or Sora, so-"

"How do you know Sora?" the girl mumbled, trembling. The brunette prepared some stoic, cold response, but it was halted by the weight of Cloud's hand on his shoulder. "And for that matter, how do you know where I live? How do you have my key? Who are you guys, really?"

The blonde sighed, glancing at his companion, who stalked away to the corner of the room, clearly frustrated.

"Kairi," Cloud said, "I'm going to need you to talk to me for a minute. We need to find Riku."

Kairi frowned. So it all had to do with Sora's stranger, then.

"I don't know him."

"Bullshit," the curse came from the corner, where the brunette still stood, refusing to turn and look at the others in the room.

"What do you mean?" Cloud asked. "You...you can't be serious."

"Listen, all I know about this Riku guy is that..." she paused, carefully choosing how to continue. If she hinted that Riku was with Sora, who knew what these men would do to her friend. "All I know is that he did run into Sora, and Sora was really freaked out. He just told me about it. I never actually met Riku."

Now the brunette decided to turn around, his brows knitting together of narrowed stormy eyes. Cloud met the gaze with an identical expression. Kairi waited for either of them to speak. Instead they simply stared, seeming to have their own silent conversation. The longer she waited, the more unstable her body felt as it shook with fear.

"What's going on?" she demanded finally. Her voice cracked as she choked on a small sob. This was terrifying. Leon and Cloud knew her much better than she'd ever have thought, and they knew something important about Riku. Of that much she was certain. But now it seemed as though the three of them had reached an impasse. They needed each other's help, and yet none of them were quite sure exactly was happening.

"Is Sora going to be okay?" she snapped as another fear slithered into her thoughts. What if Sora had been right? Riku really could be insane, and dangerous.

"Sora will be fine," Leon answered, still staring directly at his partner. "Are you sure you've never met Riku?"

"I'm certain."

"Not even for a moment?"

"Never."

Sighing, Cloud hung his head and shook it slowly from side to side. "I can't believe we never noticed."

The other man nodded in agreement.

"Noticed what?" Kairi groaned. "Will you _please_ tell me what's going on?"

"Of course. We'll explain as best we can. Do you mind if we take a seat? It may be some time before we leave you to yourself."

Figuring it was useless to deny them a seat, Kairi nodded, watching absently as they sat in the armchairs across from her.

"We work for an experimental organization," Cloud began softly. "It specializes in...well, to put it simply, the company discovered a method for creating artificial homo sapiens."

"Not clones, mind you," Leon interrupted. "The company takes objects or lifeforms that are _not_ human, and turns them into fully functioning human beings. They age, act, and think like anyone else."

"So we thought. Kairi, these...people...sometimes retain qualities of whatever element they were born from. Riku is one of these cases."

"This is not the first time he's escaped. In fact, it's the third. Last time, because of certain qualities of his, we almost lost him. He almost died."

The girl had barely processed Leon's last few sentences. She was still stuck on the notion of artificial humans.

"How is it done? How does it work?" she asked.

"We don't know," was Cloud's answer. "Leon and I are not scientists. Within the company, we function as both observers and security. Our job is to watch and record Riku's every move, while making sure his security systems are up to par. And, if he escapes, it's our job to get him back."

"Some years ago," Leon continued, "at about the age of fifteen, he escaped for the first time. We were interns then. He was under minimal security. After all, he was just a kid. Someone skipped a minor security procedure, and he was gone. It wasn't until four months later that he was retrieved. Security was upgraded."

Kairi nodded, indicating that she was following the story. Cloud took over then.

"About a year ago, Riku discovered an ability that stemmed from his origins. He used it to escape. At the time, so we assume, you were looking for a room mate. He found a flier somewhere, called you, and moved in."

"Wait!" she interrupted, leaping to her feet. "You expect me to believe that he _lived_ with me and I don't remember a damn thing about this?"

"Once we retrieved him again," Cloud continued, his voice stern, "Axel, a man from our Psychological Repression Department attempted to suppress Riku's memories."

"You have a Psychological_Repression_ Department?"

"Until Riku's second escape, the PRD had only been working with people who originated from other lifeforms, mostly dangerous animals. Tigers, bears, and the like," Leon explained. "Their aggressive instincts had to be stifled, both for their own safety and the safety of others. Axel used the Repression System on Riku, essentially deleting his memories of the outside world. Specifically those of you and Sora, and the knowledge of his ability. We hoped this would prevent a third escape."

Cloud sighed. "Now it seems as if the company ordered Axel to Repress you and Sora as well."

"But not everyone holds a Deletion. Riku didn't. He remembered his ability, and he remembered you, and most of all, he remembered Sora."

"What about Sora?" the girl asked cautiously.

"We don't know. We just have to find Riku before any danger...springs up."

The room fell silent as Kairi sat back down, breathing heavily and thinking through the situation. It was remarkable how easily she was accepting this story. She didn't want to believe it. It was nonsense. But something in her was eating it up as truth and the rest of her was reluctant to challenge it. It felt...

It felt like she'd heard it all before, long, long ago.

"The Deletion...you said not everyone holds it?"

"Some people will remember erased information after some time, yes," Leon answered. "Some people don't take the deletion at all. It's not a perfect process."

"If I were to find something that had been deleted, would I recognize it?"

"It's possible. Axel has discussed a theory about that. He believes the deletion is only psychological, but that there are some physical attributes tied to all memories, which could cause something like recognition if you were to be presented with a deleted item, person, or situation."

Kairi nodded. "Riku is with Sora," she muttered. "He followed him here from the suburbs, and now he's staying with Sora."

"Thank you," the brunette murmured, standing to leave. She watched as they walked to the door, then Cloud turned back to her before leaving.

"I'm sorry we had to do this to you, Kairi," he paused, looking as if he was considering what to do now. "We were friends once, you know. I don't know why we didn't realize that you'd been Repressed until just now."

Smiling crookedly, and nervously, Kairi nodded again as the two men disappeared.

Had she done the right thing? Leon and Cloud were obviously on their way to investigate Sora now, which would be just as unsettling for him as it had been for her. If not more so.

But they knew things about his past that he had forgotten, that he had a right – no, a _need_ – to remember.

And Riku...

He would die if Leon and Cloud did not get to him soon. She hated the thought of anyone being some sort of observational experiment for their entire lifetime...but if it was a choice between letting someone be free and leading them to their death, or letting them live their life as it was meant to be...

Sighing, Kairi got up and walked to the phone. She would call Sora, and she would warn him. Maybe he'd have enough time to think things over before Leon and Cloud reached him.

Maybe he'd have enough time to rediscover whatever it was that led Riku back to him.


	5. We Will Be Again

Author's Note: I must say I _adore_ this chapter. I hope you guys love it as much as I do. :D

* * *

Autumn Falling

_Chapter Four:_

"We Will Be Again"

* * *

Sora flipped his cell phone closed slowly, his mouth hanging open a bit as he blinked once, twice, and again. For a moment, he waited with his hand twitching to open his phone once more, trying to decide what to do...what to think. He did not want to disbelieve Kairi, especially not after how distraught she had sounded herself. And after all, she was his best friend, his first love, and the only scrap of family he had left in this world.

But humans being created by some mysterious scientific process? From tigers and trees, flowers, insects, _dirt?_ She'd claimed that all these things had been accomplished, and even given the names of several examples she'd pried from Leon and Cloud as she tried to stall them from reaching Sora's apartment. Larxene, the girl who'd been born from a lightning bug, Marluxia who had once been a flower, and Axel, who now worked for the company and had been created from the fleeting being of a _flame_.

Kairi's first phone call – warning him to leave the apartment and get Riku someplace safe - had been enough to give him a heart attack, but this...this nonsense about artificial human beings?

He could not believe any of it. He tried, for Kairi – after all, she had been so distressed by the information herself – but it was impossible. None of it made any sense, and none of it was even the slightest bit realistic. But Kairi had believed it, and she clearly needed him to believe as well.

Sighing, Sora made up his mind and finally shoved his cell back into his pocket. If Riku could confirm the story, then maybe he could believe it.

"Is it true?" he asked, voice hoarse as he slowly turned to the other man, shivering. He had no idea where they were. It was late, and unbearably cold. All he knew was that he had left the apartment when Kairi had told him to, and just kept going straight. They were about to reach the edge of the city, from the looks of it.

"Is what true?" Riku returned innocently. Sora hated how he did that. Whenever the brunette was itching for a reason to be upset with his stranger, Riku was blissfully innocent, perfectly immune to any and every form of blame.

"What Kairi told me...about you. About what happened last year and...and the company?"

"Yes, it's true."

"All of it?"

"I don't know exactly what she said, but yes, all of it."

"So you're not..."

"No I'm not," Riku paused then, sighing. Unlike Sora's, his breath failed to billow like steam in the cold air. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you before."

Blinking, the other man laughed bitterly and shook his head. "I wouldn't have believed you. I still don't know if I believe you. Not really."

Riku nodded. Sora removed his gaze from his feet and decided to finally consider turning back and going home. Both of them stopped. They were definitely on the very outskirts of the city now. Commercial buildings had faded away and apartment complexes were slowly making room for crowded, tiny houses. Soon the thin alleys between buildings would yawn and welcome the suburbs.

"So..." Sora finally murmured, shuffling his feet and forcing himself to watch Riku's face. "Then it's true that if you don't get back to the company soon, you'll die?"

Aqua eyes flicked quickly to the ground, then back to their sapphire counterparts. "Probably."

"But you still ran away?" Sora's tone was incredulous. More so than he was unwilling to believe Kairi's phone call, after everything that had happened in his past, he was unwilling to believe that someone would risk their life just to be with him for a handful of unfamiliar days.

"I'd rather die tomorrow, out here, than live in that place without you."

"Let's go," Sora responded immediately as he started heading back into the city.

"Where?"

"Home."

"I can't, Sora," Riku's voice was almost pleading.

"You have to go back, Riku. I can't keep you here. If all this is true, then I will _not_ be responsible for your death. And if it's not true...then it's still just as important that you go back with Leon and Cloud."

"But Sora..." the silver-haired one called after the brunette, his voice fading as Sora continued to walk away. "Sora, please."

"Listen," the other snapped, turning on his heel, "I don't want to be mean about this, but I have to make you understand. No matter how much I may have loved you once, the fact is, I don't remember that now. I do not love you anymore."

Riku looked stunned, his face drained of all color so that all that remained was the burning, brilliant sorrow of his eyes. His arms hung limp at his sides, posture slouched and frame stiffening with the halting of breathing.

"I'm sorry, but...I'm sorry."

Before Sora could notice, the other man's body had tensed, his jaw clenching as he twisted to the side and threw a fist against the brick wall next to him. Sora flinched but there was no evidence of impact, aside from a small wet spot on the assaulted brick. Riku's face was void of any hint of rage. It was pure sorrow, untainted grief.

The brunette stood very still, surprised by the curse and Riku's behavior. That one act held so much more age and life than all of the childish ways of the half-human Sora had seen in Riku before.

"I'm sorry, Riku. I really am," was all he could bring himself to say as he again turned to work his way back home. If Riku followed, so be it. If not, whatever.

"Sora wait!" Riku cried. The boy listened for footsteps but heard none. "Please, Sora."

As the plea fell from Riku's mouth, it whispered past Sora's ear, and a hand one his arm halted his progress. This time, when Sora faced the other man, he forced himself to look only at the ground.

"What, Riku?" he muttered sullenly.

There was no time for him to take another breath, to think another thought – no matter how fleeting – before Riku had spun him around and crushed his lips to Sora's. Blue eyes darted upwards, locking on to the place where Riku's shining gaze would have been had the other man not squeezed his eyes shut in desperation, before slipping easily closed.

It was not the kiss that surprised Sora. It was the tremor of excitement that had raced up his spine, the joyful, longing leap of his heart, and the quiet still of his mind that the kiss had elicited.

There was no more doubt, not another shred of disbelief. Sora must have loved this man once, for everything his kiss had unearthed was exactly what Sora had been missing in his life. Now he knew it had not been missing, just locked away and forgotten. But now, every cell in his body trembled with a greedy recognition. It wanted to control his every action, every thought and response, and Sora did not want to fight it. There was no possible explanation for this feeling, other than the one that had already been presented to him.

The kiss deepened, and Sora tried desperately to find some other line of reasoning, but he could not remember ever having been kissed like this before. So maybe it really was familiar just because someone had erased those memories. He had loved Riku once, and maybe he could love him again.

If...if Riku was still around.

"Riku," Sora murmured pulling slowly away from the other man.

"Please don't..."

"Riku we have to go home."

"I'm staying with you."

Tilting his head upwards to stare into his finally-recognized lover's eyes, the brunette took a deep breath, stifling the tears that were starting to prick at the back of his eyes. "I won't let you die Riku. I don't care what I have to do. I'll let you go back to them, and I'll figure out a way to keep you alive out here, and then you can come back. Whatever. I don't care what it takes...but I will _not_ let you die."

* * *

When they finally reached the apartment, Leon and Cloud had come and left. A quick call to Kairi revealed that they had called her as well, promising to return the next day. Sora sat on the couch, feeling heavy in every sense of the word as he watched Riku return to his usual place on the balcony.

What was he going to do about this mess? Now that he remembered - recognized, rather - how he felt for Riku, he needed more answers. He had to know more, had to know if there was any way to truly recover those memories.

If there was any way to keep Riku alive outside of the company...

It would probably help if he knew what Riku had actually been created from.

Without missing a beat, the thought sent Sora to the balcony door, where he slid it open eagerly, pausing only to watch the other man curiously as he turned and smiled.

"What are you made of?" he asked impersonally. Riku blinked, and immediately, the answer threw itself at Sora.

The balcony...no footprints...the heat...

"Snow," he sighed. "You were snow once." The revelation was almost devastating. How could you keep snow alive in the summer? Not even air conditioning could do that. And even if he could regulate the temperature enough...Sora would freeze.

Riku nodded.

"I don't think I can help you anymore, Riku. You have to go back to the company...and stay there."

"Don't say that. I can go back...and I can escape again next year."

"They'll stop you."

"They can't."

"Riku..."

"Shut up," Riku ground out between clenched jaws, stepping forward and wrapping his arms around Sora's waist. The brunette responded without hesitation, locking lips with the other man and threading his fingers into silvery hair. They kissed hastily, clumsily, sloppy, wet and desperate for the taste of each other. Between caresses, Riku spent his breath whispering assurances, though Sora was sure it was mostly to himself.

As long as he still had Riku here with him...

Sora grabbed onto Riku's arms and pulled him backwards, into the apartment. He decided to leave the door open as they stumbled towards the couch. He wasted no time in reaching for the hem of Riku shirt and pulling it over his head. The other man returned the favor, and within seconds each of them was fully undressed, reveling in the smooth skin sliding against their own; Sora's warm and Riku's cool as silk.

A trail of kisses was blazed down the brunette's abdomen as his breathing deepened. Each kiss was cold and sent a shiver of exquisite bliss racing through his frame. He listened carefully as Riku's breaths became labored and his skin beaded with cold sweat. His hands lifted Sora's legs, locking them around his waist as he positioned himself for the primal, delicious act they were longing to perform

He smiled then, softly, and whispered Sora's name. The syllable held more adoration than the brunette had ever thought it could.

And then Riku totally fucking melted.

* * *

_April Fool's!_


End file.
